>>1277952I've always wondered why someone hasn't done a garret style loco where the firebox and coal hopper are centered, but the boiler sticks out forward, and a condensing water tank aft also hanging out? Garretts howed that having articulated propulsion fore and aft isn't problematic in and of itself, and having a deep firebox would help combustion, while a centered coal hopper would even out some load and would better deal with changing weight over drivers being spread. Piping exhaust steam to the condensor isn't that hard, considering existing condensing tenders were effectively independent units.
